The Last Days
by Lancelotlaureate
Summary: The Doctor and his companions arrive on an alien planet that is preparing for the end of their world.


Vicki, Ian, and Barbara joined the Doctor at the console as he stood in deep thought at one of the panels, muttering and mumbling to himself. Ian thought about asking him what he was thinking, but asking the Doctor a question like that when he was busy was asking for trouble, so he decided against it, opting instead for looking at the scanner screen to see where they would land next. The rotor continued to rise and fall, and Barbara wondered why it was taking so long to land this time around. The ship was often unpredictable but on this occasion the Doctor had been calculating away for hours, complaining about some disturbances in the vortex affecting his machinery.

If anyone was to convince the Doctor to confide in them, it was Vicki, his partner in crime, and his petite intelligent girl from the 25th century. It worked too, no sooner had Vicki worked her magic on him; he was telling her that there were some strange messages trying to come through.

"What kind of messages?" Vicki asked looking up at the scanner with curiosity.

"From rockets, and satellites you mean?" Ian asked. He was shooed away by the Doctor.

"Unlikely, dear boy, these messages have reached my ship in the time vortex itself."

"Alright so not rockets then," Ian said glancing at Barbara, admitting defeat.

"From who then?" Barbara added. "Could it be a distress signal of some kind?"

The Doctor placed his index finger to his chin and thought for a moment. He then turned their attentions to the scanner which had come to life and was crackling and fizzing.

"They're trying to get through quite eagerly, whoever they are," Ian observed.

They continued to watch the scanner as a series of strange yellow shapes began to structure themselves in various formations against the blackness outside. Finally, the shapes merged into one and the travellers were left with the scanner image displaying a direct message with some kind of lettering.

"What does it say?" Vicki asked. "It's a little unclear and fading."

The Doctor placed his monocle over his eye and took out a notebook from his jacket pocket and began to jot down what he could see. After he finished, he relayed the message to his friends.

" _The last days. These are the words of our people who are about to embark on a new beginning. Our planet is to die, perhaps may already be dead. We wanted the universe to know we existed, to see our last days…."_

"That's awful," Barbara let out with a croak. "A dying world reaching out like that."

"Such a pity, such a pity," the Doctor said sincerely. "But it seems as though they've certainly left enough material for people to find. The scanner is now being overloaded with images from the planet. I think the pictures are trying to come through."

They stared up at the screen as the image outside was now replaced by pictures shifting across the screen, thousands, one after another, moving so quickly there was barely time to make out any of them. Vicki noted she saw a pet dog of some kind sitting on a child's lap, and it was clear they were collections of photographs and maps. Barbara stared transfixed at the images as Ian realised the rotor had come to a stand still, and that they were no longer in flight.

"Doctor…"

"I know dear boy," the Doctor said as he pressed some buttons on the side of the console. "We really should check outside."

"But what about these people?" Vicki said still looking at the screen and hoping to figure it all out.

"The images will still be there when we get back," the old man said as he ushered his friends over to the door. "Open the doors Vicki my child."

…

Ian and Barbara led the way from the ship into what appeared to be some woodland. Barbara felt the heat hit her right away and she took off her cardigan and placed it around her waist. Ian rolled up his shirt sleeves and undid his top two buttons on his shirt.

"Well it's certainly the summer," Ian said, nudging Barbara. "A little too hot for England though."

"I'm not sure this is Earth at all," Barbara replied as they continued to walk along an uneven pathway. "It just doesn't remind me of anywhere there."

"We're definitely not on Earth dear girl," the Doctor said from behind them.

"How do you know?" Barbara asked.

The Doctor looked into the stretch of trees and focused their attentions on the small band of figures that were now watching them.

"I hope they're not hostile," Ian let out. "Or worse, cannibals!"

"Talk about jumping to conclusions Chesterfield, they seem harmless to me."

Ian laughed. "False of habit Doctor, travelling with you does tend to make you jumpy."

The Doctor patted his young friend on the arm and smiled. "They're waving us over," he said pleased with himself. "They're communicating with us. Splendid."

Vicki saw no point in wasting time and she raced ahead of the others to make the first contact with the planet's inhabitants. She reached the group and let out a big grin, and found herself curtseying before them, trying to be the polite stranger. An elderly woman laughed at Vicki's movements and gestured that she could stop what she was doing.

"We do not know what the gesture means child, but we are thankful nonetheless."

The other three caught up with their young enthusiastic friend and stood back a few paces so as not to seem threatening to the aliens.

Vicki looked a bit embarrassed but she introduced herself. "I'm Vicki," she told them. "I'm a human, and this is Ian and Barbara, also human, but older ones by a bit quite frankly…"

"…Yes alright Vicki," Barbara interrupted. "Keep to the basics."

"And this is the Doctor," Vicki added. "He's…well…he's the Doctor, a brilliant scientist and old wise man."

The Doctor coughed and pushed Vicki aside gently to approach the elderly woman instead.

"We're most gracious of your welcome to us my dear woman. We arrived here by chance, and I'm afraid we're not quite certain where and when we are."

Another man stepped forward; he was young with dark skin and dark eyes and he was large and muscular, even towering over tall Ian. He patted all the travellers on the arm in kindness as some kind of welcoming gesture.

"We are the Elms. We are very pleased to meet you strange travellers, though we must tell you that it is not safe for you to remain here with us, even though we would be fascinated to entertain you."

"Why?" Ian asked. "Is something terrible happening here? Maybe we can help."

"Our planet is dying," the old woman said as a matter of fact. "These are but our last days."

The four TARDIS travellers all stared at one another in shock. _Had this been the place that sent out the messages?_

…

70 hours to go

"So, your people they foresaw this tragedy you say?" the Doctor asked the old woman, Margot, as they wandered alone through the woodland, only guided by the moon and the distant fire burning where the others settled.

"A hundred years ago I was a little child," she told him. "We could see what was to be. We can always see what is to be. And we have been prepared for quite some time."

The Doctor's eyes shifted curiously from side to side. "Has anything been done to try and avert this disaster, or to rescue your people?"

The woman seemed quite offended by his question. She stepped away from him slightly and let her head hang low.

"Why would we change what we have seen? We see what will be."

"I didn't wish to offend you, I…only inquired as a scientist, you see, wondered whether your people would wish to survive."

The woman's head rose up again and she let out a slight smile. "Oh but we will. We'll live on in a new life. It's not just the end Doctor, it's the beginning. We have planned this for some time, ready to depart one life for the chance of a very different way of being."

The Doctor nodded his head and listened to her talk about the scientists in the city, and the teachers and leaders scattered all around the various locales of the small planet. He was incredibly interested, but all too saddened that soon all the splendour that was around him would be gone.

62 hours to go

The Doctor arrived back at one of the tents that had been secured for himself and his friends until they were ready to leave. The others were waiting for him and were eating something that resembled vegetable soup in bowls. There were four sleeping bags laid out, and Vicki was already sat on top of hers, trying to make herself comfortable.

"Doctor," Barbara said when he arrived. "It's so terrible what's happening here, and the people are so lovely. Are we going to help them?"

"Help them do what my dear?"

"Well to survive of course," Vicki chipped in. "We can't just leave them here to die."

The Doctor sat down beside her and sighed. "And have you asked these people what they wish for themselves?"

Ian shuffled uncomfortably as he took a slurp from his bowl of soup and wiped his mouth. "Well they told us that they accepted the end, and were prepared for it, even invited it, but…that's not right is it? Not if there's a way to survive?"

"But is there a way to survive?" the Doctor asked. "There is to be a solar flare so powerful it will engulf this planet at that exact moment and nothing could survive it. These people have no rockets, and have sent out no distress signals. They have prepared the end, not anything else."

"But surely we can evacuate them in the TARDIS?" Barbara asked. "Maybe take them to a new home?"

The Doctor sighed. "My dear, there are many people here, and they will not pick and choose. They are adamant of their fate. They are sure of their plans to a new life beyond this one. Do we have the right to take that away from them?"

"But what if we could make them see, show them an alternative?" Ian asked in a state of a panic. "Doctor, I cannot go back to that ship and leave a whole planet's people to die."

They all went silent, deep in thought and all scared and tired, unsure of what to do or say next.

"Drink your soup," the Doctor told them finally. "We haven't much time before we must leave, let's get some sleep."

…

48 Hours to go

Vicki sat with her feet dangling in the stream. Sitting next to her was a young girl called Echo who seemed to be of a similar age to her. She was much taller with darker skin, and her physique was much more athletic than the teenage human's. Vicki looked across at her, thinking she was one of the most beautiful aliens she'd ever seen.

"What is that thing running along there?" Vicki queried as a small rodent sized creature scurried past them. It was purple with three spikes running across its head, and a long furry tail like a squirrel.

"Oh it's harmless, one of our planets good natured creatures. They don't have a name."

"No name?" Vicki asked in surprise. "That's a shame. I should think they'd be called after those spikes and its squirrel-ness. How about a Squike? This one can be squikey. Come along squikey. Come to Auntie Vicki."

Echo laughed and scooped up the creature and placed it in her arms.

"I will miss these things."

Vicki leaned over and stroked the back of the creature, carefully avoiding its spiked head, she didn't want to end up like the Doctor when he'd accidentally sat on an alien porcupine, and Barbara had spent hours trying to get the pines out of his bottom. She shook the horrifying image from her mind and picked up the creature, holding it close to her.

"You should take him with you," Echo told her. "A last present from me."

Vicki's eyes started to water. "I'd like that very much but I'd rather take you with us instead."

Echo smiled. "I appreciate that Vicki, and I can see why you're sad. I would be too if you told me the same thing. But I assure you I'm happy and looking to the new beginning. Can you believe me?"

Vicki nodded. "Of course."

…

35 hours to go

Ian and Barbara sat under the trees with a young couple. The couple were both incredibly mild mannered, relaxed, pleasant, and so easy to spend time with, that Ian and Barbara would never have imagined that in less than two days they were going to die.

"These fruits are exotic enough aren't they?" Ian said as he licked his fingers of the orange juices that ran down the side of his skin. Barbara shook her head in embarrassment and was half expecting him to turn orange by the amount of the fruit he'd eaten since they'd arrived. She wondered if his sudden increase in appetite was to do with his avoidance of the matter at hand. She felt the opposite. She could hardly eat at all and was trying to broach the subject with them because she didn't want to ignore it.

"You seem to be very calm about all this," she let out finally, worried about their reaction. But the couple were not offended and just continued to smile at her.

"We have no reason to be angry; it's a natural thing that's going to happen. We welcome it," said the young woman.

Ian seemed uncomfortable but was just as curious as Barbara. "But still…don't you feel afraid, apprehensive at least?"

"No Ian, not afraid, maybe a little curious, but we don't feel half as nervous as you seem right now."

Ian scratched the back of his neck. "Well this woodland is marvellous anyway. Reminds me of the woods I used to play in as a boy, bit more exotic here but still with that same feeling of adventure lurking everywhere."

Barbara knew Ian was hiding what he really wanted to say and ask, and she knew his new subject was to cover his struggle to accept that these people were doomed. She rested her hand on his knee.

"Oh yes, I used to climb up the tree branches as a child," she told them all. "My Mum got angry but I loved just sitting on one of the branches, reading a book."

"Did you ever get stuck up there?" Ian asked; his eyes alight with wonder.

"Yes, once," she giggled. "The man from the local corner shop had to help my Dad get a ladder to rescue me. I was sent to bed without supper that night."

"Was that the first time you ever got in trouble?"

Barbara swatted him. "Of course not."

"You humans have wonderful stories. We really appreciate you sharing them with us before the end," said the young man.

"Well what about your stories?" Barbara asked. "Why don't you share them with us? You two are married aren't you?"

"Married?" the young man asked in confusion.

"A pair?" Ian asked. "On Earth we sometimes get married to a person we have chosen, someone we're in love with."

The man nodded that he understood. "We chose to be together, yes. So I suppose it is the same thing."

"And are you two married?" the woman asked.

Ian and Barbara glanced at each other awkwardly. "Uh…no, we're just friends," Barbara let out quietly.

"So," Ian said, trying to avoid further discussion of his marital status. "Why don't you tell us all about how you met?"

…

20 hours to go

Vicki and Echo huddled next to each other as a group of them gathered in meeting around the burning flames of the campfire. It was evening and the sun was starting to set, causing a quite spectacular colour to form across the darkening sky. The Doctor sat slightly away from most of the group, his head buried deep in a host of scrolls and books, and even small hand held computers. Every so often the old woman Margot would hand him some refreshments and he'd nod in gratitude, but ultimately not join in with the group discussions and fun. Ian and Barbara sat close to one another and next to their friends they had made, the young couple who were so kind and caring. The couple were holding hands and gently singing. This in turn prompted a few of the others to begin to sing with them. The chorus bought the Doctor to immediate attention, and he and his friends watched in amazement as the aliens began to sing whilst each one individually also harmonising with their own selves.

"Now there's a talent," Ian said to Barbara. "I wonder if it's something that could be learnt."

"Not like this, dear boy," the Doctor said, leaning over to him from his seat behind them. "I suspect it's their superior vocal chords, much more equipped for this than yours."

"I don't know…" Ian teased. "I've always had a strong voice."

"And one that can be heard from miles around," the Doctor replied.

"Well, it's beautiful," Barbara said. "The Elms I mean, all being able to naturally sing so gracefully. Its days like these that make me think how uncultured home seems."

Ian sighed, knowing what she meant. He loved Earth, but seeing new places did sometimes make it all feel rather inferior to other cultures and times. Not that any civilization they'd come across had been perfect of course- for every beautiful world they'd seen, there'd often been war, disease or hunger. No world was perfect, they knew that, but sometimes certain places seemed more special than others, and this was definitely one of them.

Ian bowed his head in thought. "How can they let all this beauty die?" he whispered to his friends. "I just don't understand it."

On the other side of the fire, the Elms had begun to cheer, and Vicki had started to sing along with Echo, now teaching the alien one of Earth's songs.

"Ian's better at this than me," Vicki began. "He taught it to me. What did you say this song was called again, Ian?"

Ian laughed as Vicki tried to remember the words. He stood up and instructed that he was going to conduct the group. Barbara smirked at him. Ian, ever the teacher!

"Now we call this song, 'The Grand old Duke of York'," he said proudly, reciting the lyrics. "He had ten thousand men. He marched them up to the top of the hill and he marched them down again."

"And when they were up they were up," Barbara laughed, feeling rather silly, but letting herself let go and be embarrassed for once. "And when they were down they were down…"

"Doctor?" Ian said. "Would you like to finish the words?"

The Doctor grumbled and shook him away, not wanting to pander to Chesterton's whims. Vicki sensed he wasn't going to play so she quickly joined in.

"And when they were only half way up, they were neither up nor down!"

Everyone fell about laughing and within minutes the Elms were singing along having learnt the words and tune at rapid speed. The Doctor tried not to pretend he was amused by the sight of Ian conducting the song whilst everyone clapped along in merriment. Barbara could barely breathe through her laughter, for a moment she almost forgot that the end was nigh. She peered over at Vicki who was recording the sing song on some kind of camera device. They'd got ever so close the two young girls- and Barbara feared her young friend would not take leaving Echo behind easily.

15 hours to go

The Doctor left the tent and wandered alone into the darkness outside, turning on a small torch as he made his way into the woodland. He sat on a large tree stump, sighing as he rested his tired legs. He shone the torch around the trees, looking carefully at them and jotting down everything he could think of about the nature of the world. The Doctor had readily accepted that the world was going to end, and he'd been ignoring the inevitable for days, but now in the moonlight, all alone and lost in his thoughts, he suddenly was overcome with fear. He'd long been an observer, a non interferer. With Susan he'd sworn adamantly that things should happen the way they were meant to. And Ian and Barbara had joined him and things changed slightly, he started getting more involved, changing things along the way, and helping a manner of people. But he'd always been adamant about some things. Some things were so big, so important, that it wasn't his right to interfere and alter the course of things to be.

But he now doubted that feeling, and that rule. He wanted the Elms to survive, they had so much potential, and even if their planet were to perish, their way of life didn't have to- it seemed such a waste. He was angry that the TARDIS had somehow not arrived sooner, at a time when he could have worked with the scientists and convinced the people that there was a future for their race. But it was too late. The Elms were sure of their next path, they were prepared and happy, and he'd have to accept it.

"Doctor?" Margot said as she crept up beside him. "Can you not sleep? Is everything alright?"

The Doctor smiled. "I'm quite alright, my dear. Just taking one last look at this beautiful night sky of yours. It's the last one isn't it?"

Margot peered up at it and let out a sigh. "I will miss it. I will miss everything, including you Doctor."

The Doctor shuffled slightly. "Nonsense! You'll miss the things here on your planet. You won't miss a silly old man getting in your way."

"You and your friends have been the greatest farewell gift we could have asked for. To have people to share our last days with- it's been a blessing."

…

8 hours to go

The Doctor, Barbara, Ian and Vicki sat together in the tent, collecting their belongings and packing them up into their bags. They all were silent as they did so, all unsure of what to say.

"Out you come," Margot called from outside the tent. "We have gifts for you all!"

The travellers all looked at one another. None of them had expected to be greeted with presents and such warm tokens of friendship, it made them feel incredibly honoured, but also incredibly guilty. Barbara sighed heavily, all she could picture were the people dying as she left carrying trinkets from their planet. She reached out for Ian's hand as they walked from the tent.

"Travellers!" said Gull, one of the young men of the planet. He was standing high on a branch and was calling from the air, signalling them to sit down and enjoy the surprise they had for them. Vicki gasped when she saw Echo and some of the others setting up some sort of show. The youngest of the Elms clambered in front of the travellers, each covered in glorious make up and costumes. They began to dance, sing, juggle fruit, and recite poetry- some even at the same time. Ian felt a headache coming on, though he didn't mind. It was all rather beautiful, and for a long while they watched the aliens perform the show for them. The funniest moments came when Gull began to imitate the travellers, running all over the place like Vicki, or standing heroically like Ian, or taking care of everyone like Barbara, and the best of all, grumbling and moaning, hunched over like the Doctor, miser-like until he rose up high and let out an almighty and uncanny chuckle. Everyone started to laugh, including the Doctor who was both flattered and offended by the impression. Finally the Elms' show came to an end, and the travellers cheered at their fantastic performance. Vicki really didn't want it to end.

The Doctor looked at Margot. "Are you sure you don't want to come in the TARDIS with us?"

Margot shushed him. "Doctor, what have I told you?"

"I'm sorry my dear, I just wanted to be sure."

…

5 hours to go

Vicki hugged Echo for several minutes; trying hard not to cry all over her friend as she considered what was going to happen next. As she embraced her new friend, all she could think of was her father and mother, and the last time she had embraced them. It felt like she was always losing someone, and this time it seemed even worse, like it would be so easy to just grab Echo and take her away into the TARDIS, away from a death that could be prevented. But she couldn't.

Ian and Barbara were much the same, both standing awkwardly saying their goodbyes, barely able to look anyone in the eye. Barbara had enveloped her friends in a hug but had to turn away quickly as the tears formed in her eyes. She didn't want to cry yet, not until she was back in the ship, away from the place. Ian shook hands with several people, hardly his normal self as he quietly uttered a few things to try and ignore what he truly wanted to say. He shuffled uncomfortably on the spot, trying desperately to resist the urge to tell them they were all wrong, that there was no life beyond this one, and nothing or no one was going to survive. He wasn't sure he could do it. Right there and then, for all the beauty around him, he just wanted to forget all of it and be back home in the rain and hail, and the smoggy London streets. Anything was better than waiting for the end.

The Elms waved goodbye as the travellers reluctantly headed towards the TARDIS. Barbara hugged Vicki closely as they looked back one last time at their new friends, ones they'd never forget.

"I won't cry, I won't cry," Vicki whispered. "They wanted this, they wanted it."

The Doctor ushered his young friends inside the ship as he turned back again to look at the planet one last time. Margot waved at him, and he held up two of his fingers into a half salute and pressed them against his head. He sighed heavily as he forced himself to go inside the doors and shut them behind him.

"Well, we must be off then," the Doctor said, rushing to the console and flicking the switches before he had a chance to change his mind.

"Doctor," Barbara said, rubbing him on the arm. "We did do the right thing didn't we?"

"We could have forced them to leave," Ian added. "We didn't try hard enough did we?"

He thumped his fist hard onto one of the panels of the console unit.

The Doctor stared at him but didn't reply; instead he shoved him gently out of the way and manoeuvred his way around the console, pressing various buttons along the way. The sound of the rotor screeched as it rose and fell violently.

"So that's it," Vicki let out in a whimper. "No going back."

Ian and Barbara grabbed each other's hand and they all stood silently for a few moments. They were interrupted by the scanner screen which switched itself on and began to show more of the pictures it had done before they'd arrived on the planet.

"Oh switch it off," Barbara said. "It's too sad, I can't bear it."

"No, wait, look," Vicki told them as they watched pictures of themselves fill the screen. Pictures of them with the Elms around the fire, in the woodland, in the tents, by the stream- all their last days with these people were catalogued along with the rest of their rich history and beauty.

"We shared in the last days of another world," the Doctor muttered quietly. "An experience I think none of us shall ever forget. Well…we must continue hmmm? This is no time to just stop. Rest is for the weary."


End file.
